Althouse: "The university said in a statement that Mr. Simons had 'repeated his explicit wish that his son should obtain his bachelor’s degree at the age of 9'..."

December 14, 2019

"The university said in a statement that Mr. Simons had 'repeated his explicit wish that his son should obtain his bachelor’s degree at the age of 9'..."

"... which the university considered not feasible given the exams he still needed to pass. Mr. Simons rejected an offer in which Laurent would have graduated next year without a specific deadline, arguing that such a delay was unacceptable. The university had used his son 'like a Christmas tree,' he said, a glittering ornament that made the institution shine. 'He wasn’t making it,' the university spokesman, Ivo Jongsma, said about Laurent’s previous graduation plans. 'But of course it wasn’t a problem for us,' he added. 'He’s a genius; he would still have been one of the fastest ever' to graduate from a university.'... As Laurent’s potential graduation date came closer, his parents made him available for interviews and posted pictures on an Instagram account that gained tens of thousands of followers in a few weeks. 'Busy Week With Interviews!! Building Up The Pressure! Soon Gigantic News!!,' a post read."

From "9-Year-Old Prodigy Pulled From College Over Degree Delay" (NYT).

Don't overplay the genius hand.

25 comments:

mccullough said...: Simons Says is a child’s game; 12/14/19, 10:59 AM
rhhardin said...: Imus used to say he was 65 but read at a 67 year old level.; 12/14/19, 10:59 AM
rehajm said...: One day you cease to be a prodigy. Then where will you be?; 12/14/19, 11:01 AM
Michael K said...: Budding sociopath. I remember a guy who had graduated from Johns Hopkins Medical school at 19. Convicted of second degree murder for flagrant malpractice as a plastic surgeon.

I had a guy in my medical school class who was about that age but he went into Psychiatry where he could not hurt anybody.; 12/14/19, 11:13 AM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: “ but he went into Psychiatry where he could not hurt anybody.”

That sounds like an old oft-repeated surgeon joke. Is it?; 12/14/19, 11:28 AM
buwaya said...: The parents are...unwise in their vanity.
That sort of a brain will do what it will do without attending any institution in particular, or without any piece of paper.
Or it won't.; 12/14/19, 11:43 AM
Fernandinande said...: explicit wish that his son should obtain his bachelor’s degree at the age of 9

To break the record of bacherlor's at age 10? Dad sounds bad...; 12/14/19, 11:47 AM
khematite said...: As happens with increasing frequency lately, the Times gets it exactly backwards. Is a master's degree less than an undergraduate degree?

"It was unclear how Mr. Simons planned to have his son study for a doctorate without an undergraduate or even a master’s degree."; 12/14/19, 11:48 AM
Michael K said...: That sounds like an old oft-repeated surgeon joke. Is it?

Half my class (33) went into Psychiatry. None have killed anyone that I know of.; 12/14/19, 11:52 AM
Gilbert Pinfold said...: When I taught in medical school, I recommended a student for a specialization in pathology based upon his bedside manner.; 12/14/19, 12:04 PM
Yancey Ward said...: A kid like that, if he really is a genius level intellect, is probably best gently encouraged to self-learn with the right to take select classes in college or graduate school in subjects he likes. He may turn out alright with the parents that he has, but I wouldn't be willing to bet on it.; 12/14/19, 12:20 PM
Ken B said...: He should tell the administrators “How dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood”; 12/14/19, 1:42 PM
Michael K said...: Gilbert Pinfold said...
When I taught in medical school, I recommended a student for a specialization in pathology based upon his bedside manner.

Yes, a number self selected. We had one guy that everybody knew he cheated. We all resolved to never send him a patient.

He went into radiology where he could not do much harm.

The Johns Hopkins sociopath was described as "The most brilliant medical student we have ever had."; 12/14/19, 2:00 PM
Rosalyn C. said...: When psychiatrists screw up their patients may commit suicide. So not a harmless speciality.

I don't understand the father's obsession -- the important thing is the child's wellbeing, not the record. If graduating college at nine is the major aspiration for that person's life what is the prognosis if he fails? Grim.; 12/14/19, 2:01 PM
Fernandinande said...: "When discussing his problem with him, I entirely forgot that he was a sophomore 17 years of age. I spoke to him just as to any of the leading theoretical physicists. His knowledge of quantum electrodynamics is certainly equal to my own, and I can hardly understand how he could acquire that knowledge in less than two years and almost all by himself." -- Hans Bethe on Julian Schwinger; 12/14/19, 3:17 PM
Rosalyn C. said...: The father reminds me of Ann's hypothetical mother in the Solomon split the baby story who says, "Kill the child" and Ann postulates that she is possibly the better mother because she proves she is willing to fight anyone for her child. Here the father challenges the school to back down on their graduation requirements (what do they know?) and in a sense kills the child by removing him from the school, evidently with no back up plan. Would Ann consider him a great parent for fighting to the death?; 12/14/19, 3:37 PM
ccscientist said...: I highly recommend "Off the Charts" about prodigies, including Bobby Fisher (chess) and Norbert Weiner (cybernetics). Most prodigies who were pushed suffered a lot and many (not all) ended up unhappy. Interestingly, Terman helped his "genius" kids a lot, thereby screwing up his study. Even with his help none of his smart kids were earth-shaking adults.
I have read that the upper income you are likely to achieve is limited by IQ, but some genius level people do not value money so much or are eccentric and don't do well financially.; 12/14/19, 5:32 PM
stevew said...: Dad sounds like your run of the mill hockey mom.; 12/14/19, 6:16 PM
Paddy O said...: "None have killed anyone that I know of."

With psychiatry it's usually a secondary impact.; 12/14/19, 6:54 PM
Narayanan said...: Blogger Fernandistein said...
"When discussing his problem with him, I entirely forgot that he was a sophomore 17 years of age. I spoke to him just as to any of the leading theoretical physicists....
_____&&&&-----
Thanks for link to nice physics history giants.

How early was this known ?

Made me remember Professor Akston telling Dagny about his 3 boys!

Ayn Rand was researching Manhattan Project for possible screen treatment :: would she have learned about this?; 12/14/19, 7:47 PM
Amadeus 48 said...: This is a case for SuperTrump!

Will the all-wise and all-knowing POTUS from Another Planet swoop down from the sky in Air Force One and force the university to live up to its promises? Will he award a bachelor's degree in Twitter Baloney Management from Trump University (in Dissolution)?

The president said at an impromptu news conference outside the Simons' home: "These academics are full of Baloney, folks, just like Acosta and the rest of those Fake News people over there. So sad! But little (what's your name, kid?) Lawrence--can I call you Larry?-- did his best, and now they have to come through. If they don't, I will. That B.TwitBalM. will look great on the wall! Kid, I am making you a Lieutenant Commander in the Space Force!"

Up in the Air! It's bird! It's AF1! It's SuperTrump!!; 12/14/19, 8:53 PM
Josephbleau said...: "It was unclear how Mr. Simons planned to have his son study for a doctorate without an undergraduate or even a master’s degree."

I think the clause after "an" implies that a bachelors or even a masters is necessary to be fully admitted to a PhD program. In most US PhD programs they don't expect a masters for well qualified students but may award one along the way to a higher degree as a little perk. This young student could be easily admitted to the tail of a "5 year BS/MS" program allowing him to finish his undergrad while doing some grad credits. Then when he completed, he would be fully admitted to the PhD program. I am sure any small or big name school would allow this.; 12/14/19, 8:56 PM
Amadeus 48 said...: "I think the clause after "an" implies that a bachelors or even a masters is necessary to be fully admitted to a PhD program."

Trump can fix that. Will they recognize a degree from Trump University?; 12/14/19, 8:58 PM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: When psychiatrists screw up, their patients may commit suicide, same as when they don’t screw up, or when nobody can tell whether or not they screwed up.; 12/14/19, 9:20 PM
Bunkypotatohead said...: Doesn't the kid get any say in the matter?; 12/14/19, 10:12 PM